“The gateway to God’s Kingdom is difficult; only a few will find it. ~ Matthew 7:13-14
More than 50 years later, the only test score that Booker
remembered from middle school was 34. Like most 7th graders, he had
no idea what he wanted to do in life yet. His goal was simply getting through
school and surviving the long walk home.
He waited nervously as Mr. Bales
returned the graded final exams. The math test had been terribly difficult. There
were questions he didn’t know; some he didn’t even understand. His heart
pounded like the thundering hooves of a thousand feral mustangs.
As Bales dramatically dropped each student’s test on their
desks, Booker heard groans and even a few tears. The grades weren’t looking
good. As he picked up the stapled pages on his desk, he glanced with horror at
the large score circled in red for emphasis. His grade – 34. 68%. FAIL!
He flipped the test over. It wasn’t something he wanted his
classmates to see. Please God, let the grading scale be merciful.
Bales stood behind the well-worn desk and addressed his deflated
students. “Your grades were awful, no one passed! I’ll be forced to grade on
a curve since the highest score was only 34.”
Those were the final words Booker remembered. A 34 - he
had the highest grade in the class. Suddenly, his abysmal test score didn’t
look so bad. There were at least 30 kids in the class with lower scores
than his.
“I made a 34,” he replied cautiously.
Her expression changed from an inviting smile to one of disappointment.
Booker knew he had to explain fast. “But Mom, I got the best grade in the
class,” he stated boastfully.
His Mom replied emphatically: “34/50 is not a passing
grade. I don’t care how everyone else did. It doesn’t matter that you were the best
failure in the class! What matters is your lack of preparation,” she
scolded.
That harsh judgment had remained with him ever since. As a
father of two small boys himself, he now understood why. Hope is not a
strategy, success only comes from intentional hard work.
We often don’t understand the wisdom of good parenting until
we stand in their shoes. His Mom’s values carried him to great success
throughout life.
The crowd often goes the wrong
way. That path is wide and crowded. Victory’s road is narrow and barely
occupied. For Christians, the way to eternal life is restricted to just one
avenue – Christ. There’s no other way because He alone is “the way, the truth,
and the life.” (John 14:6)
